I Tested These Four Fitness Watches to Determine Which Ones Are Best for Training With Hyrox.
I’m so used to recording and tracking my workouts that when I started preparing for Hyrox, the first question I asked myself was, “How will I track them?” I need to monitor my heart rate, so the choice narrowed to watches, not smartbands or rings . But which is better? I tried four different watches and found two clear winners, depending on what you want to focus on.
Hyrox is, of course, a hybrid fitness sport, combining running with endurance strength training. (I have a detailed explanation here .) A typical Hyrox, or hybrid fitness sport, workout includes cardio and strength exercises, usually alternating. You’ll likely want to note when you switch between exercises (by pressing the lap button on the tracker), and you might want to track your rest time. If the workout includes running, you might want to track the distance traveled. In either case, you’ll likely want to monitor your heart rate.
In fact, you don’t need a special Hyrox mode to track workouts with your watch. Many people get by with the standard “gym cardio” or “indoor running” modes on their watches (although some stations won’t record actual distance traveled). However, some watches have a Hyrox or hybrid mode, so here’s what you’ll see if you use them.
Best for runners: Coros Pace 4 Hybrid Fitness Mode.
Coros is my favorite watch for low-impact workouts. I can walk into the gym, start a workout on the watch, and be confident that all the important data is being recorded. During each segment of the workout, I see a timer tracking the duration of the exercise, as well as a color-coded heart rate graph.
Coros automatically detects which segments were runs and labels them accordingly when I later review the workout on my phone. The remaining segments are labeled “functional training,” but I can edit the workout to properly label each one based on the exercise performed. The best part is that Coros tracks the distance traveled. When I leave the gym, I finish the workout on my watch and get a small message informing me that I ran 2.73 miles. I then use the voice memo to record the stations while they’re still fresh in my mind.
How to use it : Go to the workout menu and select “Hybrid Fitness.” I use the “Workout” mode with manual rest , but if I know I’ll be moving straight from one workout to the next, I choose “Continuous.” Coros also has a race mode that displays your running pace during running segments and correctly marks the station order. There’s also a fitness test mode similar to the Hyrox PFT .
For structured workouts, Roxfit is best used with Apple Watch.
I discovered Roxfit while looking for a way to track hybrid workouts with a Garmin. While Roxfit also works on Garmin watches, I prefer using it with my Apple Watch. Roxfit is essentially a standalone app; you don’t need a watch to use it. However, if you create a workout in the Roxfit app, you can sync it to your watch, and the watch will guide you through the workout. Roxfit also has a variety of other features geared toward hybrid workouts, allowing you to link your past race results and upcoming events, as well as create a pacing plan for your next race. Today, I’m only interested in guiding and tracking regular workouts.
Roxfit doesn’t allow you to customize your workouts, but creating one on the fly is very easy. Chat with Hype (the built-in chatbot) and ask it any question you want. You can also create a workout manually, but I found Hype to be quite good at understanding my needs. For example, I said, “Give me a workout consisting of one minute of running, followed by 10 lunges, repeat five times, no rest,” and that’s exactly what I got.
The Roxfit app will notify you when you’re halfway through each segment, count down the last three seconds of the allotted time, and helpfully announce your next steps: “Now: Run for one minute. Next: Sandbag lunges.” The data fields on the Apple Watch are easy to read and understand, but the Garmin version is also quite good. If you’re using a Garmin, note that the “Send to Wearable” button in the Roxfit app sends the workout to your Garmin app , not the watch itself. You’ll still need to go to the Garmin Connect app to send the data to your watch.
How to use : Create a workout on your phone and sync it to your Apple or Garmin watch. On your watch, select the workout and start it from there. It’s not possible to start a workout in free mode, where you choose activities in real time.
Second place: Hyrox mode from Amazfit.
Of all the watches I’m discussing today, the Amazfit is the only one that actually uses the Hyrox name. (Amazfit is an official Hyrox partner .) The Hyrox mode is similar to the Coros mode, but it doesn’t seem to count distance or recognize laps. Besides the “free” training mode, you can also use one of three timers: Tabata (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, four minutes), AMRAP (a set time for any workout), or EMOM (you’ll receive a notification at the beginning of each minute to begin the exercise, then rest for the remainder of the minute).
How to use : In the activity menu, select “Hyrox Workout.” Use the “Lap” button to create new laps or segments, or follow one of the timer modes. Runs won’t be recognized, and distance traveled won’t be tracked. There’s also a Race mode, in which each segment is marked with a corresponding event (showing running pace for running segments), and a mode for the Hyrox PFT test.